In the town of New Campton, Reverend Michael Hill arrives with his two young children, Carmel and Dean, and reports for duty as the new pastor at North Avenue Presbyterian Church. After a hectic, but enthusiastic welcome from several female parishioners, Michael is briefed on church business by secretary Anne Woods. Since her father retired as North Avenue’s long-time pastor, Anne admits that the transition to someone new is difficult for her. Furthermore, Anne is skeptical about Michael’s plan to increase church participation. To prove his point, Michael immediately assigns one of the members, the eccentric Mrs. Rose Rafferty, to oversee development of the emergency fund, totaling $1200. Later, however, Rose frantically stops Michael just before his first Sunday sermon and confides that her husband gambled the entire fund on a horse called Sunday Treat. Michael offers a quick prayer to the congregation, and then hurries downtown on his motorcycle with Rose to reclaim the money from bookmaker, Harry the Hat. Rose informs the pastor that Harry operates gambling from the backroom of a tailor shop. When Michael confronts the bookmaker about returning the church funds, Harry tells the pastor to take his chances on the horse race. However, Sunday Treat loses, and Michael is angry that he is unable to reclaim the money. Later, he leads police to the tailor shop, but Harry’s operation has vacated the premises, and the commanding officer refuses to pursue the matter. During an appearance on the television broadcast “Words to Live by,” Michael uses the opportunity to denounce illegal gambling in New Campton and the police who accept bribes to ignore it. Watching the program, leader of the local crime syndicate, Max Roca, assures Harry that the reverend will not pose a problem. Later, at the church, Michael receives threats from anonymous callers for his attack on the gambling community. Furthermore, Dr. Fulton, executive of the Presbyterian council, telephones and reminds Michael to concentrate on increasing membership rather than engaging in politics. Fearing he might lose his job, Michael follows advice. As a first step to attracting young worshippers, he recruits the rock band, Strawberry Shortcake, to play at services. In protest, Anne steps down as choir director. One night, two special investigators from the U.S. Treasury Department, Marv Fogelman and Tom Voorhees, discreetly enter the church office and request Michael’s help in recruiting reliable citizens to work undercover and expose the gambling racket. Unable to interest any men, Michael appeals to five of his most loyal female parishioners, Rose, Cleo, divorcee Claire, housewife Vickie, and bride-to-be Jane. Marv doubts that the women can handle the task, but nevertheless, he instructs them on how to place bets at hidden gambling establishments with a witness present. Dividing into three teams, the women dress incognito, but they arouse suspicion and fail to carry out the assignment. Marv wants to abandon the operation, but Michael and the ladies persuade him for another chance. In an ambitious attempt to locate the financial headquarters for the gambling racket, the women are assigned code names and different locations to park their cars, while Marv instructs them on a CB radio when to follow suspected deliverymen and collectors. As the clumsy pursuit leads to another dead end, Marv’s nerves are shattered and his doctor orders him to rest in bed. Undeterred, the women continue to trail suspects under Michael’s supervision. Back at the church, Anne disapproves of the group’s obsession and announces her resignation. Meanwhile, two of Roca’s henchmen pay a visit to North Avenue during Sunday service and identify their female pursuers. After confirming to Roca that the church is behind the surveillance, the thugs are instructed to use scare tactics against the pastor. In the middle of the night, they set off an explosion inside the chapel. Instead of being furious with Michael for encouraging the violence, Anne is now determined to join the fight. As the stakeout continues, Roca’s men spend more time dodging the church ladies, whose tracking skills have improved. During a meeting with the group, Michael pinpoints the area on a map where the collectors have eluded them and surmises that they are narrowing in on the criminal headquarters. Anne arrives with the devastating news that the Presbyterian council has decided not to rebuild the church and North Avenue will be closed down. Later, at the airport, she picks up two presbytery representatives, Dr. Rheems and Reverend Wainwright, who have arrived in town to discuss the church’s termination. As Anne drives them to North Avenue, she recognizes one of Roca’s deliverymen in a camper van and radios Michael for support. Although he is in an important meeting with Dr. Fulton, Michael immediately assembles the group to help with the pursuit, which includes interrupting Jane at her wedding. Suddenly, the prim Dr. Rheems is excited by the action and takes over the CB radio. After observing the van enter a remote and enclosed warehouse, Anne is convinced that they have found the mob’s “bank” and establishes a stakeout across the road. Leaving Dr. Fulton, Michael hops on his motorcycle to join her. Soon, the vigilante church group, including Vickie’s carpool of children and Jane’s newlywed husband, has gathered at the site. When Anne spots Roca leaving the warehouse, she and the group storm through the gate with their fleet of cars and block his path as well as the other thugs, who try to escape with evidence. A chaotic automobile demolition ensues, but the tenacious church ladies eventually trap the gangsters, while Michael arrives in time to help corner Roca. Back at North Avenue, Michael gives his sermon outside the burned church and announces to the congregation that Roca’s arrest has resulted in a dozen indictments. He then sadly declares that church will be dissolved. Suddenly, the crime-fighting group arrives with the presbytery council and updates Michael that North Avenue will retain its charter. The Strawberry Shortcake band leads the congregation in a celebration song.